Bair, Dandy Capture Titles

Ray tallies 26 points in Bears' 55-52 win

March 2, 2008|BY GARY CURRERI SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

FORT LAUDERDALE — Bair Middle School boys' basketball coach Roosevelt Gray will never again be late to practice.

Just moments after his team's 55-52 victory over the three-time defending champion, William Dandy for the Broward County Middle School Athletic Association boys' basketball championship, he asked his team to meet in the gym one last time the following morning.

"I owe them 40 laps," chuckled Gray, whose team would practice at 6:50 a.m. every day before school. "Every time they were late, I made them run 20 laps. They called me twice when I was late this year. They did what they had to do [to win a title], now I have to do something for them."

Gray said he would have to get up about 5 a.m. to stretch for his run.

"This win is special because we don't have any superstars," Gray said. "Every kid believes in teamwork and our bench was our force. We told them we needed two stops in the last two minutes and we got it. I told everybody around the county during the summer that Bair would not lose one game and that's what we did."

Eighth-grader Jaylon Ray got Bair (12-0) off to quick start by hitting back-to-back 3-point baskets to open the game.

Ray, the tournament's most valuable player, finished with a game-high 26 points, including four 3-pointers, to lift the Bears to their first boys' basketball title in the school's 34-year history.

Mikon Hewitt added 16 points for Bair.

"I am going to remember my team and our accomplishments. This makes me feel hyped. I worked hard over the summer and I expected this," Ray said.

William Dandy (10-2) came back from its early deficit behind six points from Derek Walker and a 3-point basket by Macgarrett Kings to take a 16-12 lead.

FOR THE RECORD - CORRECTION PUBLISHED TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2008An article and headline that appeared in several Community News sections Sunday incorrectly reported the nickname for William Dandy Middle School's basketball team. They are known as the Wildcats.